It’s October? Already? 2018 flew by!!! I’ve had some MAJOR life changes in 2018 and can’t believe we are already knocking on 2019’s door.
One major change was a cross-country move to the desert town of Palm Springs, CA. Now that we live in Palm Springs, fall looks a bit different for us than it did in Birmingham. Palm Springs is hot year round, an average fall day is 85 with s slight breeze. Birmingham, AL isn’t known for its cool temperatures but its the coldest climate I have ever lived in and I was obsessed with fall there.
Palm Springs is the most beautiful and instagrammable place I have ever lived but definitely comes with some downsides, like no seasons. I don’t get to experience the leaves changing or the cool evenings of fall but that doesn’t mean I can’t get myself in the Fall Spirit. I love Halloween and my birthday is in the Fall so I have lots of things to look forward to in Fall.
One of the things I really look forward to is updating my makeup routine. No matter the actual weather, every season I love to update my makeup routine just a little. For instance, in summer I like lots of golds and shimmer and by winter I prefer a clean more matte look. In the fall, I like to soften my blush to a more mauve color and use a lot of cool-toned eyeshadows. I like to subtly update my entire makeup routine every season but one thing I really love to update is my lip color.
Fall Lipstick
Wearing NYX Liquid Suede in Vintage
I’ve said it once, I’ll say 10 more times, I LOVE A BOLD LIP! This summer I was obsessed with a very glossy nude lip but my usual go-to colors are purples and reds with a strong brown undertone.
Okay now, let’s get to the lip colors I am OBSESSING over this fall.
I have talked about this ALL over this blog but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE lipstick! To quote my girl Rhianna, “Lipstick. It draws attention away from any flaws. When someone is wearing lipstick, you just assume they’re wearing a full face of makeup. And guys are stupid–they won’t notice when you’re not.” YES GIRL!!! I couldn’t agree more! Its the easiest makeup to apply and really completes a look.
If you were to look in my current makeup bag about 40% of the bag is lip products, I really can’t live without a strong lip collection. What’s your go-to makeup product? Are you as obsessed with lip products as I am? If so, what brands are you obsessing over? I always need more lipsticks!!!
Dry skin, an issue most people face during the cooler months. Now that I am knocking on 30’s door I feel like my skin is becoming noticeably more sensitive and dry when the seasons change. This blog post has been a long time in the works, I have been working on it for weeks because I wanted to ensure all products were the tried and truly the best for dry, sensitive skin.
When I was 15 years old I started using anti-aging products, it probably was younger than that but that is the age that I remember receiving my first complete kit of anti-aging products. When I was that age I wanted to be Katie Couric when I grew up so I knew it was important to preserve my skin. In my opinion, you are never too young to start a proactive skincare routine. The most important aspect to maintaining youthful skin is SPF and moisturization, two things acceptable for all ages. It’s so important to keep my skin care routine really locked down because I like my makeup to look flawless and you can’t achieve flawless makeup without flawless skin.
On top of dry, sensitive skin, I also have very fair skin. I use SPF every single day, doesn’t matter the weather or my sun exposure, I always have it on! If your skin is darker than mine, SPF is super important to help eliminate preexisting scars and unwanted dark marks. I got in a really bad car accident when I was 17 that left me with over 40 stitches on my face, from that point on I did everything in my power to keep my face protected from the sun when outside. All the extra measures I took seem to have really helped, all of my scars have pretty much disappeared.
Skincare Routine for Dry Skin
For some reason when the weather changes my skin goes crazy. Any issue I have with my skin intensifies by 10 folds. My skincare routine is very important to me, VERY important.
Not only is my skin dry it’s also very sensitive, it gets irritated really easy and hates most skin products. Occasionally, I break out in these very painful rashes around my eyes, not exactly sure what it is but it also happens regularly to my dad. With all of my skin issues, there are a few brands that I swear by; Aveeno, Aveda, First Aid Beauty, and Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare (his stuff is a bit more expensive, but worth every darn penny). I know if I purchase a product from one of these brands that my sensitive skin will be happy with the results.
My skincare routine:
Daily:
Every day I wash my face in the shower with Aveeno Absolutely Ageless, if my skin is super dry or irritated I use Mad Hippie Cream Cleanser. Post-shower, I immediately put a face oil on; I switch off between Argan Oil and Rosehip Oil, both are super hydrating and affordable products. I really hate the smell of Argan oil so that is one downside. After that oil I put on a Vitamin C Serum, vitamin C has done wonders for my complexion, it has brightened my skin and has reduced the appearance of scars and any other issues. I like to let those products settle into my skin before I put on my daily moisturizer. For daily moisturizer I use the Aveeno Absolutely Ageless Daily Moisturizer, honestly, I should work for Aveeno because I love their products SO DANG MUCH. This moisturizer is great not only is it the perfect recipe for dry, sensitive skin, it also contains SPF 30, most daily moisturizers only have SPF 15. The combination of the face oil, serum, and daily moisturizer really seem to keep my skin hydrated all day long
Pro Tip: When putting on skin products always start with the most lightweight product and work your way up.
Every Night:
I never, ever, ever sleep with makeup on. I can be completely exhausted, walking into my house at 2AM and will promptly remove all makeup from my skin. I wash my face with the same Aveeno product I use in the morning, apply one of the hydrating face oils listed above and then top with Belif- The True Cream Aqua Bomb.
Weekly:
Multiple times a week when I am home catching up on housewives I will put on the Aveda Botanical Kinetics Intense Hydrating Masque and let my skin soak up that goodness. Its an all natural, moisturizing mask that seems to brighten my skin and add some deep moisture to my skin.
At least once a week I like to do an at-home peel of some sort, I switch off between the two listed below. The Divine Skin Peel is much more affordable but the Dr. Dennis Gross Peel delivers much better results. Once I have done the peel I immediately put on a sheet mask, your skin absorbs the sheet mask best when your skin is a clean slate.
Divine Skin Peel: I bought this one on Amazon and I love it!! It’s a mild, at-home peel. It does require some planning around because when you use this product you are supposed to stay out of the sun and not wear make up the next day.
Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel: These are expensive but I am not kidding when I say they are worth every last penny. The first time I was introduced to these a makeup artist in San Fransisco used these prior to doing my makeup and it felt like I had brand new skin. Two days later, I went back to work and one of my coworkers asked if I had a facial. I can’t sing the praise of this product enough!
Sheet Masks – I like to use masks with one or more of these ingredients:
Hyaluronic Acid Collagen Vitamin E Honey Rose Petals
Monthly:
When I lived in Birmingham I was getting a twice a month facial and it was MARVELOUS!!! Now that we live in Palm Springs that is no longer in my budget. I’ve gone down to an every other month kind of schedule. I love a deeply hydrating facial, I think estheticians are magicians with those magical hands of theirs.
Pro Tip: If you live near an Aveda school they offer CHEAP facials. The students have to do X amount of supervised hours so they offer amazing facials at a very discounted cost. The Birmingham school felt like a very upscale day spa and was always the highlight of my week when I went to visit.
My lifestyle is pretty healthy, full of healthy fats and tons of water. Drinking tons of water seems to really help my skin, I know 64 ounces is the recommended amount of daily water intake but I drink about 100 ounces of water a day. I will say if one weekend I drink a bit too much wine or bourbon my skin will immediately feel drier than normal.
Skincare Products for Dry Skin
I have not yet invested in Botox but I am absolutely not against it. I have always said when I hit 30 I was going to do it, I am turning 30 later this year so we will see if I actually go through with it.
Is your skin dry and frustrating like mine? What’s your go-to skincare routine? Next, I am going to do a blog post on the best foundation for dry skin because I have tried every dry skin foundation and have read every article on the subject, I feel like a true professional at this point.
I am always on the hunt for a deal, always. Whether its scouring the local Nordstrom Rack for hours to find the perfect shoes or reading 100 articles on drugstore beauty products, I like a deal and am willing to work and research to get the best deal.
When putting together this list I thought about all of the blogs I have read on this subject. I am constantly disappointed when I try the recommended dupes, I find the colors to be off, the textures to be a mess and just overall disappointed with the purchase. My list is short because I have only found a few tried and true dupes that I sincerely believe in, I know there will be no disappointment in these purchases.
All of the products listed below I have owned at some point in my life and most of them I currently own. The dupes – in my opinion – are extremely similar in texture, color, and overall feel. The one exception I do need to mention is the Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss, The Essence Lip Gloss dupe is great but does not have the staying power that the Anastasia Lip Gloss has.
Hope you enjoy this list, would love to know your current favorite drugstore dupes?
Pedicures, my absolute weakness! I am obsessed with getting pedicures, everything about it even the part when the file tickles the arch of your foot, I love it. Nasty feet REALLY gross me out so I do everything to make sure my feet are in sandal condition all year long. As much as I love a manicure its never been a top priority like pedicures are but I still frequently enjoy a manicure.
My ALL-TIME favorite summer nail polish color is Fiji by Essie, it has been my favorite since college. I spend 90% of my summer in this light pink color. Its perfect for all occasions its especially my favorite for newly engaged girls, its such a great bridal nail polish.
I don’t want to give up on summer but know the long, hot days are rapidly coming to an end. I usually talk about how much I hate fall but there are a lot of upsides to fall like my spaghetti squash is in season, a change of outfits and my personal favorite, my BIRTHDAY!
I am excited this fall to branch out of my normal nail polish colors and try all of these great nail polish colors.
I wish I could pinpoint why I love this color so much but I just do. This dark blue is a fun color that I wouldn’t traditionally get but the perfect shade for a manicure to accompany an oversized sweater and boots.
This color is marketed as a spring color but I think its the perfect transitional color from summer to fall. A flawless grey with a splash of blue, I’m in love.
Let’s be honest, I love all these colors but I LOVEEEEEEE this color. It’s for sure my favorite color for Fall 2018.
Fall Nail Polish
I am going to make an effort to try all of these colors this upcoming season, especially this great green color.
Whats your all time favorite nail polish color? Besides Fiji by Essie, I am also a sucker for Lincoln Park After Dark by OPI. In my opinion, the dark purple is a great pedicure color no matter what time of year it is.
My love for bodies of water is undeniable. I love being near all types of bodies of water, I love to lounge on a raft with a cold drink and a good book. I could do just that for days, I have never tried but I want to!
This summer I was able to take a very extended trip to Alabama to visit my friends and enjoy some relaxing days. My favorite part of my visit to Birmingham, Alabama was my weekends spent at Smith Lake. Its the most dreamy lake I have ever visited and if you’ve been watching my Instagram stories you know that I am OBSESSED with Smith Lake. Our friends own a home on the lake and we spent our days playing and lounging in the water and our nights singing karaoke at the top of our lungs. Smith Lake is the backdrop to all of my favorite summer weekends.
Beauty Necessities for the Pool
I know we are coming to the close of summer and the end of pool and lake lounging but there are still some good, warm, weekends on our horizon specifically Labor Day. And who doesn’t want to look their best for the last long weekend of summer? I know I do!
While a lot of people might think that worrying about beauty for a lake day might be silly, I’m not a lot of people, I think lake day beauty is a fun, necessity. There have been some huge advances in summertime makeup and I hope my list of products inspires your pool or lake day look.
As we all know sunscreen is VERY important. This formula is great for lounging by the lake all day, it’s very long lasting and can withstand jumping in and out of the lake 100 times.
If you don’t have this brush, run fast and buy it!! Its great for summer when you are by the pool all day or any time of year after you get out of the shower. It immediately detangles your hair with absolutely no pain.
I love this CC cream!! It has a very high SPF and still offers a very nice full coverage. I like it for long days outdoors but I also use it year round!
Did you think the CC cream was enough sunscreen? no way. This setting spray will not only help protect your skin but also help protect the staying power of your beauty products.
Say you are at the lake but maybe you don’t want to get your hair wet, the splash saddle is a must. You sit on it like a saddle and it keeps your body in the lake to about your chest.
I am sure everyone is very familiar with the Yeti Tumbler at this point but if you are looking for a cup to keep your drink cold all day long then this is the product for you.
If you like to read a book while lounging, this float is necessary! It keeps you out of the water just the perfect amount!
Foam FloatMy favorite lake float!
I hope you all finish your summer off with a bang! I have some great plans to help me end my favorite season the right way. While I am heading back to California this week I still have many, many hours of pool lounging in Summer 2018.
